Wheel-cultivator.



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patented Oct. 22, l90l.

H. M. BURDICK.

WHEEL CULTIVATOR.

(Applcatian led. Sept. 30, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Patented Dot. 22.` |90I. H. M. BURDICK.

WHEEL CULTIVATUB.

(Application filed Sept. 30, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM M. BURDIOK, OF UTIOA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARDI-lARRO-IV COMPANY, OF UTIUA, NEW YORK.

WH Een-CULTIV'ATR.

srncrrrcerron forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,790, dated october2e, 190i. Application tiled September 30, 1899. Serial No. '2327)1'74.(No model.) i

To all whom t may concern.'

' Be it known that I, HIRAM M. BURDICK, of Utica, in the county ofOneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Wheel-Cultivators; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

The object of my present invention is the production of a simple,practicable, and efficient wheel-cultivator which is strong and rigid inconstruction, although light, and ca` pablo of accommodation to variousconditions of soil; and it consists, essentially, in the generalconstruction and arrangement of the parts of the cultivator, ashereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a perspective View from the side of acultivator embodying my improvements in construction. Fig. 2 is aperspective from the rear. Fig. 3 is a plan view of parts, showingdetails of the construction. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a gangadjustingdevice employed in the construction, together with other details, whichwill hereinafter appear. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line A B of Fig. 4on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 shows in detail a portion of theconstruction shown in Fig. 4. Fig. '7 shows details of the machine inside elevation. Fig. 8 shows details, mostly in longitudinalcrosssection, of a seat-adjusting mechanism employed in theconstruction. Fig. 9 shows from the rear parts shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the reference characters in a more particulardescription,the frame of my improved cultivator consists of a rear main cross-bar 1,preferably of T-shaped steel, and a front cross-bar 2 and longitudinalpieces 3 3, which may have their front ends extended and broughttogether, forming a pole for the cultivator. Secured to either end ofthe main Vbar 1 and projecting downwardly therefrom are thewheel-sockets 5 5. These sockets are adj ustably secured on theframeba-r by a set-screw 6, which when loosened permits the sockets tobe adj usted inwardly or outwardly on the bar 1, whereby the distancebetween the wheels may be regulated. The wheels 7 are mounted upon thehorizontally-projecting portion of the piece 8, the vertical portion ofwhich enters the socket 5, in which it is free to turn, forming apivotal connection. To the piece 8 is connected an inwardly-projectingarm 9, which as to its inner end serves as a foot-rest for the operatorand by means of which the machine may be guided when being used as aiiexible wheelcultivator. The wheels are connected by means of theupwardly-extending arms 10, which are secured on the piece 8 at theirlower end and are connected by a rod 11 at their upper end. The rod 11is provided with an adjustable connection 11, wherebyit may belengthened or shortened to correspond with the width to which thewheel-sockets may be adjusted on the bar 1. A hook 11b on the frame isadapted to engage an eye on piece 11i and secure the parts when thecultivator is not used as a flexible wheel-cultivator. A brace 15connects the lower end of the socket 5 with the cross-bar2 of the frame.The brace l5 is adjustably secured by a bolt passing through a slot inthe block 16, secured on the projecting ends of the cross-bar 2. Theadjustment mentioned is provided to permit the forward end of the brace15 to be adjusted to conform to the adjustment of the socket 5 on themain bar 1 in varying the width or distance apart of the wheels. Thetooth-gangs are made up, preferably, of parallel bars,the teeth beingmounted in the horizontal divergent portions 18 thereof, while theforward portions of the tooth-gang bars are carried upward andseparated, as shown at 18b and 18C. The upper ends of the bars 18b and18 are pivoted to lugs 19 and 19a on the turn-plate 20. The plate 20 ismounted upon the slide 21 on the crossbar 2 in the following manner: Theslide 2O is provided with a boss 22, projecting downwardly on its underside, which is received in the central opening 20 of the turn-plate 20.The plate is held to the slide by a bolt and washer, as shown. Theturn-platea 2O has a limited amount of swinging'movement with referenceto the slide 21, determined by IOO the length of the slotted opening 23,and may be rigidly secured to the slide 21, so as not to turn, bytightening the bolts 24 24, which pass through the slots 23 and thecorners of the slide 2l. It will thus be observed that by loosening thebolts 24 the gangs, and particularly the portions which carrythe teeth,can be moved toward and from each other, turning on the bosses 22 aspivots, and when adjusted to the desired position may be secured bytightening the bolts 24. It will also be noted that the gangs may beadjusted or moved toward and from each other by the movement of theslide 2l on the end of the cross-bar 2. For producing a simultaneousmovement of the gangs toward and from each other, as well as providingfor their convenient adjustment in this respect, the following mechanismis provided: Pivoted at 25 on the crossbar 2 there is provided athree-armed piece 26, which I call a spider. From one of the arms of thespider 26 to one of the slides 2l there extends a connecting-rod 27,engaging in an ear, as 28, on the slide 2l, as particularly shown inFig. 4. A connecting-rod 29 extends from another arm of the spider 26 tothe slide on the other side of the machine. From the third arm of thespider 26 extends a connecting-rod 30 to the lever 3l, pivoted upon theframe and provided with a rack and catch by means of which the lever maybe secured in any desired position of adjustment.

It Will be noted with reference to the ganghandling mechanism justdescribed that the slides 2l may be moved toward the outer end of thebars 2, and the bolts 24 may be loosened, permitting the rear ends ofthe gangs to be broughtquite close together, in which position the gangsare adapted to operate on a very narrow strip of earth, adapting themachine to use in cultivating between drills close together without thenecessity of removing any of the teeth from the gang, and obtaining theresults of the work of the greatest number of teeth that the machine iscapable of carrying. gangs may be moved together or apart b-y theoperation of the slides heretofore described, whereby the gangs can bemade to cultivate more or less close to the row which the cultivatorstraddles, as the operator may desire.

For elevating and depressing the gangs of teeth the following mechanismis employed: Upon the frame there is pivoted at 35 a bellcrank lever 36,provided with a rack and catch, as shown, whereby it may be secured inany desired position of adjustment. The short arm of the lever 36 isconnected at the point 37 with a chain or fiexible connection 38,extending between and connected to the opposite ends of the bow-spring38. The lower end of the spring 38 is connected with the gang at 39.Then the lever 36 is operated to the rear from the position shown inFig. 7, the gangs will be elevated from the ground, and the machine willbe carried on the wheels 7 entirely. When the lever 36 is operated esmeto a position forward of that shown in Fig. 7 and secured, the spring 38will be put under tension to throw the gang downwardly, whereby theteeth are forced more or less into the earth, depending upon the amountof tension that is given to the spring 38. When the teeth have enteredthe ground sufficiently under the impulse of the spring 38, the actionis limited by the chain A3S becoming taut-that is to say, that portionof the chain above the point where it is connected with the lever 36.The spring 38 operates at its full tension toforce the teeth into theground under this method of operation up to the point that it is limitedin its action by the chain 38, and the spring is not necessarily stiffin order to accomplish the desired result. The chain 38a being connectedto the opposite ends of the spring enables the spring to be removed fromthe machine and replaced without encountering difficulties in puttingthe spring under tension, which would be the case if the chain were notconnected to both ends of the spring. Thus the spring can be put undertension at the factory and need not afterward be disturbed by the userof the implement. The toothbars are also provided with foot-rests 40, inposition to be conveniently reached by the foot of the operator sittingon the seat 4l. The operator can exercise a certain amount of controlover the gangs with his foot, particularly when the bolts 24 are loose.The seat 4l is mounted on the rear portion of the substantiallyhorizontal arms 42, which are pivoted to the frame at 43. The elevationof the seat 4l is adjusted by means of a sliding' step-block 44, havinga series of steps on its `under side adapted to rest on the rest 45,

mounted on the main bar l. The block 44is provided with a series ofopenings, one in each of the steps, adapted to receive a pin 46k on therest 45, whereby the step-block 44 is secured in position when it hasbeen adjusted to the desired position.

When so adjusted, the

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure' by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the frame mounted upon carrying-wheels, anoperators seat arranged between the wheels at the rear of theI frame, atransverse cross-bar on the forward portion of the frame, trailing gangsof teeth arranged between the carrying-wheels and below the seat, slideson the cross -bar to which the trailing gangs are attached and adn justin g mechanism for moving the slides and adjusting the gangs and alever arranged at the operators position connected with said adjustingmechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the frame mounted upon wheels, a cross-bararranged on the forward portion oi' said frame, slides mounted on saidcross-bar, means for simultaneously adjusting said slides toward andfrom the central line of the machine by a lever from the operatorsposition, a turn-plato pivoted upon.

each of said slides, trailing tooth-gangs attached to said turn-plates,respectively, and means for locking said turn-plates to said slides,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the frame mounted upon carrying-wheels, thevertically-adjustable trailing tooth-gangs and the adjusting mechanismconsisting of the bow-spring connected with the gang at its lower end,the eXible connection spanning the bow of the spring and an adjustingand holding lever connected with said flexible connection intermediateof its points of attachment to the spring, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination in a Straddle-r0w cula tivator, of the mainframeincluding the rear

